Syed Sujeel Ahmed

One of the most balanced reportages on the Talbighi Jamaat (TJ) issue related to COVID-19 has been undoubtedly done by the NDTV. However, what the NDTV has been indulging into when calling out name of the Tablighi Jamaat is a blatant factual error, as it has been, advertently or inadvertently, labeling TJ as an “Islamic Sect”. Almost in its all headings since April 1, the NDTV has prefixed or suffixed the label “Islamic Sect” to the TJ. We found out that the News Channel has used this particular term no less than 42 times, for the TJ.

Islamic scholar Hamid Mohammed Khan, president (ameer) Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Telangana, sheds some light on the controversial labeling. Mr Hamid said, “In the Islamic context, a sect has a larger meaning which is often, not necessarily always, referred to those communities who have been not practicing the core values of Islam such as teachings of the Qur’an or the Sharia, and have adopted their own deviant doctrine.”

While speaking to the deccandigest.com, he further said that, the TJ is a Muslim revival group engaged in proselytization or preaching Islam among fellow Muslims who are away from the Islamic teachings. He went on to add that, “Tablighi Jamaat is an unorganized group of Muslims that doesn’t have a hierarchy like an organization, however, it is absolutely not a “sect” or firqa.”

Tablighi Jamaat has never been described or named as a sect even by the open collaboration encyclopedia – the Wikipedia, which is sparingly monitored.

While the online learning platform, study.com, defines sect in a religious context as: In sociology, a sect is the name given to a group of people who break away from a larger, established religious denomination, or movement, because of a set of beliefs that differ in some keyways. While many views and practices of a sect will overlap with those of the larger group, other beliefs will be distinct enough to warrant a schism, or division between the groups.

Till date, no prominent Islamic scholar of the world has outcasted TJ or labeled it as an Islamic sect, it would be interesting to know from where the NDTV picked this word up and started ascribing it ‘permanently’ to the TJ. Or if it is simply ignorance on part of the NDTV staff is yet to be known.